Jerry at Carnegie Hall: Laugh Already

By Stephen M. Silverman

10/09/2001 at 01:00 PM EDT

"I'm here to give you permission to laugh," New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani told the nearly sold-out crowd in Carnegie Hall Monday night. The fundraiser, organized and headlined by Jerry Seinfeld, was called "Stand-Up for New York." And, adding a very much-needed Giuliani touch, the politician added, "And if you don't, I'll have you arrested." (He was joking, of course.) While the final figures are not yet in on what the event raised for the victims of the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center (top ticket price was $2,500), the three-hour concert provided some varied takes on what's humorous right now. Alan King and Bill Cosby, avuncular as ever, were very old school in their comic content, while Chris Rock cut right to the chase. He disparaged rebuilding the World Trade Center. "I'm not working there," he declared. "They better build it down this time." He suggested "the World Trade Tunnel." Seinfeld came out last, and dwelt upon absurd domestic issues. His only reference to the unpleasantness of late had to do with his wrath at the terrorists. Unfortunately, his remarks cannot be reprinted on a family Web site, but they were right on the mark.